Casey Mears gone at Hendrick Motorsports--Dale Earnhardt Jr. In.?

Question

Give me your odds.

Casey Mears' record is atrocious. He makes Dale Jarret and Michael Waltrip look like they are going at Warp Factor 9.

I see Mears getting the boot and Dale Earnhardt Jr. joining the camp. What are the odds of this happening in your opinion?

Mears has a contract through 2009, and to complicate matters, NASCAR is going to limit the number of teams to four. Mears does not have much pull with his poor showing, so I could see him "asking to be released form his contract" (political correctness), since Hendrick has the power to black-ball him. I bet Mears will opt out so he has a chance to salvage some future in the sport instead of being on the bad side of a powerful figure like Hendrick.

What do you think?

Answer 1

Jr will never run the 3 - He respects his dad way too much. As far as mears - give him a chance. Hendrick has their focus on their top 3 - Mears is a filler and is young. Jeff Gordon (though I can't stand him) is an amazing racer that will someday stop racing. Johnson will slide into his spot and Busch into Johnsons - Hendrick understands the system of grooming drivers. They didn't hook up with Mears because they thought he was fly by night. Rick Hendrick has plans for him. If he didn't think far ahead he wouldn't be the business man he is.

Answer 2

What I think and adding it to a recent interview with Rick Hendrick, Mears is staying. In the interview he mentioned thatthey planned on building Mears his own cars since he did not like how the old cars he was using worked. He has been running justg Jimmie's and Jeff's hand-me-downs all year (except the COT). I know its not an excuse, but I think they like him and want Mears to improve and will be patient with him.

As for Dale, I see him going to RCR or Gibbs. Both field 3 driver teams and have cars capable of winning every week, which is what Jr. wants. Ginn also has a good program, just look at how Mark Martin is doing this year. If he is to leave chevy, I think you'll see him in a dodge. Either Yates or Penske.

Truthfully, from my gut, I'm thinking he will drive for Gibbs next year in the number 81 car. Tony drives a JR motorsports Busch car, so they are good friends...I know there is alot of animosity to drive for RCR like his dad did, but he is not his dad, and doesnt particularly want to follow his footsteps. I guess time will tell though....but its always fun to speculate......

Just to comment on some of the other answers.....

RCR dismissed the rumor about a #33 car....

GM is in financial problems, which is why they are not on the #29 of Harvick this year......go figure an oil company would since gas profits are high, and they are killing other markets, but that is another debate, point being GM is broke and they dont have the money to be a sponsor.

I agree the 25 is bad luck!!!

I disagree with this moving of spots, they treat Gordon and Johnson equally, building both new cars, usually giving the old ones to Busch.

I will disagree on Jr being better than Busch, I think they are on the same tier for now, though I belive Busch has the potential to be where Jimmie Johnson is now, just unlikely to get there....at any rate, Jr is not that great, he has been racing full time for his seventh year now, and only has 17 wins..less than 3 a year, not too stellar...

totally agree....he needs time and the mentors, which they lacked at Ganasi

case in point

once again I agree, though if Mears can pull it together, I think he will become premanent

Hendricks is full

I agree

rumor has been shot down

Answer 3

Im sure Hendrick would love it, but the 25 car has historically, since Tim Richmond's death, been pretty much the full season R&D car for the team. Just ask Ken Schrader, Jerry Nadeau, Joe Nemechek, Ricky Craven, Wally Dallenbach, Brian Vickers (especially), however, with a driver like Dale Jr, Hendrick would get killed by the fans if he put Jr. in what is pretty much what I said, a R&D car.

Joe Gibbs, and Richard Childress are good possibilities, as both teams have room for 1 more car under NASCAR rules, and even if Gibbs did not want to expand to a 4th car, Yeley could have another bad year again, Gibbs can kick him out, and offer Dale Jr. the 18. RCR's 3 drivers are pretty secure, so for RCR, it would be expansion to a 4th car.

Unless a curveball is thrown, I belive the top 3 teams are Joe Gibbs, Richard Childress, and Jr making his Busch team a Cup team, which, even if he had support from either RCR, JGR, or Hendrick, I think would be a major mistake (as evident from Brett and Geoff Bodine, Bill Elliott, Ricky Rudd, and lately, Michael Waltrip), in my opinion, if Jr ran his own team for Cup.

Answer 4

Mears and the Hendricks go way back and i don't see him leaving anytime soon they let that sorry excuse for a driver stay in that car for 3 years so i think they will give him another year at least. I was referring to vickers when i said sorry excuse for a driver. Case in point mcmurray needed a year at roush to get on track and he is doing allot better so give mears some time he is the only diver in the stable that isn't a whiner now if he can just become a winner.

Answer 5

Jr has expressed interest in driving the 3 car, if not now, it will be later. I think he will to to RCR, it will be the 33 Bud car until his final 2 to 3 years of racing, then the 33 will turn into the 3 car.

As far as him going to HMS, although I dont think that will happen, there's still a chance. 2 things here that people forget to mention, 1 Kyles contract is up this season, they could pass on this, but its not likely, Kyle is a talented driver, not as talented as Jr, but better than Mears. (I want to make this real clear, I do not like Kyle at all or anyone at HMS, but I do respect the talent of the 1st three in the pecking order) 2, HMS can buy out Mears contract and let him go. Face it, he is not living up to anyone's expectations. He was doing much better in the 42 car. Bottom line is that HMS has not released an official statement.

When it's all said and done, he'll be at RCR in my mind and I feel this was intention all along. People say he will continue to live in Dales shadow if he goes there, but face it, what child doesnt look up to his father (or mother) and wants to be like them? My eleven year old is like this, is your child like this? I dont think Jr being compared to Dale bothers him, and in fact, I think it helps drive him to become a better driver and he considers it an honor to be in his shadow. Regaurdless of what he ever does, he will always be compared to Dale.

Answer 6

Corrently all drivers at Hendricks are under contract thru the end of 2008 or 2009.
This is a possable ride but I think Hendricks is not the number 1 choice right now.

Answer 7

dont count on mears being gone hendricks doesnt operate like that this is his first year and he has a comp[lete different driving style then the other three i seen an artical on nascar .com a couple of weeks ago about him since he is new to hendricks they havent completed his cars yet the have been busy on the C.O.T. they first let him drive gordan cars and he didnt like those then they put him in johnson cars and he didnt like those currently he is sharing kyle bush cars but they are in the process of building his cars the way he likes them i believe he will do much better in those and will be given atleast 3 years to start winning on a regular basis

go#24 drive for five

Answer 8

odds 1000000000000 to 1
announcement to come tomorrow that jr goes to rcr and drives the 33

Answer 9

You got some wishful thinking there! You must be a HMS fan.

As much as I hate the idea, I will almost guarentee that DEJ will be in the Childress #3 Bud car next season, with part-time sponser of "GM GOODWRENCH". I HATED his daddy and HATED that car, but I seriously see him sitting in it next year, just to get back at "Step-Mommy Dearest".

Answer 10

fox news says he is driving rcr #33 next year press conference tomorrow